Erode resident cheated by fraudsters misusing the ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ name

The victim wrote to the PMO alleging that he was deceived by some persons who claimed that they were linked to two entities, KBC Mumbai and KBC Kolkata, which fraudulently used the brand name to convince him that he had won lottery prizes

A resident of Erode in Tamil Nadu was allegedly cheated of ₹2.91 lakh by the fraudsters claiming to be associated with the ‘Kaun Banega Croreparti’ programme about two years ago. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a First Information Report (FIR) to probe the allegation, following a reference from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

The victim, Murugesan, wrote to the PMO alleging that he was deceived by some persons who claimed that they were linked to two entities, KBC Mumbai and KBC Kolkata, which fraudulently used the name of ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ to convince him that he had won lottery prizes.

Initially, Mr. Murugesan was told about a ₹25-lakh prize from KBC Mumbai through social media, and this claim was later inflated to ₹5.6 crore. Later, he also came to know of a ₹75-lakh prize from KBC Kolkata, and this claim was later inflated to ₹2.75 crore.

The companies demanded multiple tax payments totalling ₹2.91 lakh, which the complainant paid in instalments through PhonePe and other methods for release of the prize money. The fraudsters allegedly used a fake ID card in the name of Nandini Sharma, posing as a Special Officer (CBI), Kolkata, and used Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s image on documents to coerce the complainant into transferring money on several occasions to claim his supposed lottery prize, according to the FIR.

On Sunday, in his Mann Ki Baat address, Mr. Modi had cautioned against the “digital arrest” scam used to defraud people. Stating that probe agencies were working together with State governments to deal with the issue, he urged schools and colleges to involve students in the campaign to spread awareness about the menace.

Published - October 28, 2024 09:13 pm IST